Good deal. I'm a Radar Navigator (WSO) in the BUFF. Worked as a liaison officer with the ISAF Joint Command in Afghanistan and got to watch the video from pretty much every kinetic event during the Jul '10-Jan '11 timeframe.

To the poster who is a Marine that has received CAS from an AC-130, I guess I should have said the AC-130s typically work with the SOF guys instead of using an absolute like "only". I can say that during the time period referenced above, I don't recall the AC-130s supporting any conventional operations because they were allocated to the SOF operations.

A lot of comedy in this thread, I'm just sitting back and enjoying having been Avionics O-level tech on F/a-18s since '98. Has anyone mentioned Radar and ECM yet, and /or updated software configurations and HUDs(heads up displays). With these older jets there is a good amount of maintenance done just to stay up to date with technology and safety. Technical directives and schedule maintenance is what keeps those things in the air. I guess that's enough babbling from me.

No debate there. I think the conversation had swung in a different direction based on previous posts, but thanks for trying to steer it back. That being the case, the best tactical fighter is the F-16CM because of its versatility. It isn't the best at any single thing, but it makes up for that by doing pretty well at so many different things. Kinda like how you can be #1 in the FEDEX Cup in Golf without ever winning a tournament by consistently being in the top 10 if you know what I mean.

quote:The A-10 is debateable as being classified as a tactical fighter arircraft.

Don't tell any A-10 pilots this. They will defend to the death that the A-10 is a fighter.

quote:Well, if they ever did manage to hit anything with that badass cannon, it's definitely coming out of the sky.

A-10 Kills: Desert Shield/Desert Storm

"2 air-to-air aircraft (helicopter) kills with the GAU-8A 30mm Avenger cannon: 6 February 1991 by Capt. Bob Swain in 77-0205 of the 706th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 926th Tactical Fighter Group "Cajuns" out of New Orleans Louisiana and the second by Capt Todd "Shanghai" Sheehy in 81-0964 flying with the 511th TFS "Vultures" out of RAF Alcombury United Kingdom." LINK